How does the salary as Principal Software Engineer at Zillow compare with the base salary range for this job?

The average salary for Principal Software Engineer is $286,005 per year (estimate) in US , which is 19% lower than the average Zillow salary of $352,551 per year (estimate) for this job.

Are Principal Software Engineer professionals at Zillow in US satisfied with their compensation?

Zillow employees working as Principal Software Engineer in US have attributed a compensation and benefits rating of 1.4 out of 5 stars, based on 5 ratings. This is 7% lower than the average of Principal Software Engineer professionals at Zillow worldwide.

What is the salary trajectory of a Principal Software Engineer?

The salary trajectory of a Principal Software Engineer ranges between locations and employers. The salary starts at $153,632 per year (estimate) and goes up to $477,198 per year (estimate) for the highest level of seniority.

How much does a Principal Software Engineer make at Zillow?

The estimated average salary for a Principal Software Engineer at Zillow is $286,005 per year or $138 per hour, but some professionals have reported earning up to roughly $454,085 per year (90th percentile). The typical pay range is between $227,477 (25th percentile) and $366,778 (75th percentile) annually. This is based on 23 salaries submitted by Zillow Principal Software Engineer professionals on Glassdoor, as of Jul 2026.

What is the typical salary for a Principal Software Engineer per hour?

Principal Software Engineer professionals typically earn between $109 and $176 per hour.

What is the typical salary for a Principal Software Engineer per month?

Principal Software Engineer professionals typically earn between $18,956 and $30,565 monthly.

What is the pay for job titles similar to Principal Software Engineer at Zillow?

SDE-intern - with an estimated total pay of $46K - $74K/yr, SWE Intern - with an estimated total pay of $55K - $98K/yr, Software Development Engineer Intern - with an estimated total pay of $109K - $148K/yr, Software Engineer Intern - with an estimated total pay of $116K - $168K/yr, Software Development Engineer - Intern - with an estimated total pay of $135K - $194K/yr

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Zillow

All Zillow salaries

Total salary range for Zillow Principal Software Engineer

Total Pay

$296K

$431K_/yr

About our data

Last updated Apr 10, 202523 Salaries submitted

Pay breakdown

$353K

Median total pay

Base Pay

64.7%

$203K - $257K/yr

$228K/yrmedian

Bonus

7.4%

$20K - $37K/yr

$26K/yrmedian

Stock

27.8%

$74K - $137K/yr

$98K/yrmedian

Deep dive into Pay

Recent salaries shared by Principal Software Engineer at Zillow

Job Title | Years of Experience

Base • Additional pay

Location

Date submitted

Job Title | Years of Experience

Location

Date submitted

Base • Additional pay

Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$317K - $370K/yr

New York, NY

submitted on Jul 1, 2026

$317K - $370K/yr

Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$364K/yr

($207K • $157K)

Seattle, WA

submitted on Dec 23, 2025

$364K/yr

$207K • $157K

Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$413K - $481K/yr

Los Angeles, CA

submitted on Mar 9, 2025

$413K - $481K/yr

Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$239K/yr

($239K • $0)

San Francisco, CA

submitted on Jan 24, 2025

$239K/yr

$239K • $0

Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$332K/yr

($235K • $97K)

Seattle, WA

submitted on Jul 27, 2024

$332K/yr

$235K • $97K

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Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$204K - $236K/yr

San Francisco, CA

submitted on Feb 15, 2024

$204K - $236K/yr

Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$318K/yr

($215K • $103K)

New York, NY

submitted on Oct 22, 2023

$318K/yr

$215K • $103K

Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$205K - $239K/yr

Seattle, WA

submitted on Jul 26, 2023

$205K - $239K/yr

Principal Software Engineer

1-3 years

$197K - $230K/yr

Seattle, WA

submitted on Jun 1, 2023

$197K - $230K/yr

Principal Software Engineer

15+ years

$493K - $576K/yr

San Francisco, CA

submitted on Jan 28, 2023

$493K - $576K/yr

Viewing 1 - 10 of 16

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Zillow

Total salary range for Zillow Principal Software Engineer

About our data

Pay breakdown

$353K

Recent salaries shared by Principal Software Engineer at Zillow

Zillow pay FAQs

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Total salary range for Zillow Principal Software Engineer

About our data

Pay breakdown

$353K

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